If Everyday were Summer
by Sprintjump
Summary: Lyric Scott is only five years old, but she's learned from her 'Aunt' Luella that some people need just a little help after they've lost their way, and Ashton Beach is the perfect town to disappear to. When a certain hero comes to Ashton Beach to get away after his best friend's death, trying to disappear from the world entirely, the beach-side town soon becomes his refuge.


…**...**

**Chapter 1:**

**The Train Station**

Little five-year old fair-skinned Lyric was sitting on the bench at the train station, the one in the middle that faces the train. It was the bench that people sat on when they were looking for their aunt that comes from out-of-state, or if you were looking for that crazy uncle. Lyric looked nice, she had her brown hair in a ponytail, her tiny glasses balanced on her nose, and she wore her pretty red dress with the white polka dots that had the small white sweater that came with it. Beside her, her Sit. Bernard, Nona, sits at Lyric's side, with a handwritten sign that read:

_IF YUO LEEVE ME ALOON I DONT BIT_

Lyric sat all by herself, looking at the people who came and got off the train. Most didn't stay, hopping on the next train, never staying for long. The only people who stayed at were the usuals. Mr. Harvis who went to town to go to the feed store, Lillian May, who goes to town to get supplies for her clinic,and Ms. De Ruiz and her daughter Nia, who go to town because Nia's summer camp is at the town square.

Lyric wasn't really looking for anyone.

Ms. Addie, who worked at the train station in the summer to sell tickets, knew what Lyric was doing. Lyric's 'caregiver', Aunt Luella, was known for her hospitality and her willingness to help others who had lost their way, and the train station was known for picking up people who had left all they had. Lyric was tasked with bringing these people to Aunt Luella's house, which came with a warm meal and a place to sleep.

Ms. Addie prepared for work as the next train rolled in, and Lyric got ready as well. You never knew what the trains could bring.

The buzz of people came in, and came out, but no one new popped up, except for the man.

He was in a white shirt, brown cargo shorts, sunglasses, and a hat made of straw that resembled one Michael Jackson might have worn. Lyric studied him. His eyes were covered, he was fair-skinned, his hair was black and messy, and all he had was a backpack.

But Lyric noticed his arms and legs.

They were scarred, severely, and the man was very self-conscious of them. He had his arms crossed, and he sat at the opposite bench of Lyric. He ran his hands over his exposed hair, and kept looking around, especially at Nona.

"You got a place to go for lunch?" Lyric asked.

The man seemed to jump at her words, then sighed. He looked at her, assessing what to say. Seeing no threat, Lyric guessed, he spoke.

"No".

It was plain a simple, but with an odd tone that made Lyric gave Nona a pat when she growled, but she continued the conversation.

"You want some warm lunch? My Aunt Luella is making homemade pizza today. We'll have to take the bus across the bridge, but lunch is good", Lyric said.

The man looked at Lyric with a questionable look. He cleared his throat, and shrugged. Lyric smiled, got off the bench, and grabbed his hand and pulled it toward the bus stop. "Come on!" Lyric yelled.

The man staggered from the unexpected force, and seemed off-guard, muttering something under his breath.

"You coming or not?" Lyric said, pulling him. "I'll pay the bus fare!"

The man jostled along, but said nothing, following the child obediently, like he had no will. Lyric noticed this.

"Why won't you say anything?" Lyric asked, looking at the man.

The man looked at her, the bustling bossy five-year old staring him down, and sighed.

"I don't really care what happens".

Lyric looked at him, and slapped his hand. Hard. That five-year old had a heavy hand.

"Aunt Luella gon' fix you".

* * *

><p>The man sat by the window, and Lyric sat on the outside. Nona was under her feet, the bus driver, Mr. Gary, always let Nona on if she had on her muzzle.<p>

The man just looked endlessly out the window, like he was caught in some kind of haze, and he never surfaced.

"What happened to you?" Lyric asked.

The man slowly looked at her, then at the dog, then back at Lyric.

"What do you mean?" he asked, slowly, and unsure.

"Why are you so sad? Most people I take to Auntie Luella's are jus' jittery. But you're calm. It's scary. Why you like that?" Lyric asked.

The man sighed, and put his head in his hands. His breath seemed rattling, scarred even.

"I've seen things that are just disastrous, heavy on the 'dis'."

Lyric looked at him. He was sad, and he reminded her of Mr. Harvis after his brother died.

"Did your brother die?" Lyric asked straight up.

The man looked at her, and pulled his hat more over his head. "Something like that".

Lyric shrugged and looked out the window. She got all happy.

"Look! We're crossing the big highway bridge!" Lyric cheered, pointing out the window.

The man looked up, and looked out the window intently.

They were crossing this giant concrete bridge. Below them, seawater lapped at the stone columns as buoys floated on the surface. A sailboat and what looked like a yacht were waiting to pass under the gate, and the bus rattled overhead the ships.

The man was intrigued at the bridge, and he seemed to come to life a bit.

"Where are we going?" the man asked.

"Aunt Luella's Bed and Breakfast, or her BnB, is on the Ashton Beach front. It's on Belle Island", Lyric answered.

The man looked out the window, and Lyric guessed he was at least somewhat better than before.

A faint smile played on his lips.

* * *

><p>"I don' get that many people o'r for lunch, but you're gonna love it nonetheless", Ms. Luella said as she set down the last plate for lunch.<p>

Lunch was more of a Thanksgiving than a meal. Caramel potato rolls, steamed broccoli, and turkey and gnocchi soup.

"You eat now boy", Ms. Luella said. She wasn't one for manners, it was just if you were in her house, you ate her food.

The man took a careful sip.

"BOY! I ain't gonna poison you, now eat. You need some fat on those bones, you has muscly and lean as bull on stag on steroids!" Ms. Luella said, bustling herself down to her seat.

Ms. Luella was a woman who commanded respect. She was a large, southern, african-american woman who just wanted to hug everybody. You could hear her coming from a mile away, but it was always too late to get out the way.

Ms. Luella wore a blue dress with flowers on it, she made it herself, and she walked with slippers around the house. Her hair was in a bun, a clear white orange streak running down the left side. She was pouring her food on her plate, but looking at the man, expect him to continue eating her soup. Lyric looked at him expectantly

The man did as he was told.

"Boy, what your name?" Ms. Luella asked.

The man coughed a bit and straightened himself up, only a bit.

"My name is Dick, short for Richard", he said in a small voice, as if lost in thought.

Ms. Luella gave him a stare, then slapped him upside the head. "Boy, you got a bed tonight?"

Startled, the man shook his head no.

Lyric smiled. She knew what came next.

"Well then, yous gon' stay here for tonight, and for the mornin' breakfast. Yous is gon' to fix your face, and your attitude while yous here" Ms. Luella said.

The man looked at Ms. Luella, then the door, then the stairs toward the bedrooms.

Ms. Luella looked like the more threatening choice. He chose the bed.


End file.
